So I just ordered these from Amazon because "The Tracktor" let me know they just dropped to a lower price! (Unfortunately with shipping and tax it came back to the same price, but I just couldn't stop myself .) Now I need to figure out my amp situation and I was hoping for a little advice.

I was planning to get the Mixamp Pro pretty soon, hopefully after a 2012 update like they did last January. If I get that and I connect my Macbook Pro via optical to the Mixamp, will it have sufficient power to drive these 'phones? Or will I need to get one of the Fiio products also? If so, would one of them make the following 2 chains work well?

Macbook -> Fiio -> Q701

PS3 -> Mixamp -> Fiio -> Q701

I would prefer a non-battery-powered amp 'cause I don't plan to take these out anywhere. I wish I could get an M-Stage but that seems like too much money right now. If there are any other good amp suggestions I'm open to whatever. I'm just looking for the best and cheapest way to make these sound good with music from my laptop and games from my PS3. Thanks if anyone helps!

P.S. One more question. Does break-in have to be done "correctly" from the beginning or doesn't it matter? As in, if I listen to these underpowered for a while until I get an amp, will that hurt the break-in at all?

Just got mine in today and enjoying them so far. Do ya'll usually burn in your cans or just start listening to music right away?

Also, does anyone have any hybrid amp recommendations? I have an Fiio E10 coming in tomorrow that a friend got me as a gift and an Indeed G3 that probably won't be here till next month and I wanted to see what other options there were. I wanted to keep it under $300.

If they sound good out of the box, I wouldn't bother. Just burn them in while they're on your head

Of course it never hurts to shove them into a desk drawer while you're asleep. I never bothered though with my Q701.

I only had 1-2 headphones really benefit from burn-in. Several DJ100s and some KRKs. Maybe a K601.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RapidCancel

Just got mine in today and enjoying them so far. Do ya'll usually burn in your cans or just start listening to music right away?

Also, does anyone have any hybrid amp recommendations? I have an Fiio E10 coming in tomorrow that a friend got me as a gift and an Indeed G3 that probably won't be here till next month and I wanted to see what other options there were. I wanted to keep it under $300.

If I get that and I connect my Macbook Pro via optical to the Mixamp, will it have sufficient power to drive these 'phones? Or will I need to get one of the Fiio products also? If so, would one of them make the following 2 chains work well?

Macbook -> Fiio -> Q701

PS3 -> Mixamp -> Fiio -> Q701

P.S. One more question. Does break-in have to be done "correctly" from the beginning or doesn't it matter? As in, if I listen to these underpowered for a while until I get an amp, will that hurt the break-in at all?

The mixamp alone is enough for the Q701. If you want to use it for laptop gaming, make sure that you can send Dolby Digital 5.1 out of your Macbook's optical, because that's what the mixamp needs. Obviously it will work fine with the PS3. The mixamp isn't great for music.

If you on a budget, the FiiO E10 is a pretty excellent little DAC/amp combo for music. Also the Audinst MX1 - should be a bit better.

Since your laptop has optical, you could also maybe do Macbook (optical) > FiiO D3 > standalone amp (E9, Lovely Cube, M-Stage, etc). The D3 would also work as a DAC for the PS3, but no surround-sound :(

The mixamp alone is enough for the Q701. If you want to use it for laptop gaming, make sure that you can send Dolby Digital 5.1 out of your Macbook's optical, because that's what the mixamp needs. Obviously it will work fine with the PS3. The mixamp isn't great for music.

If you on a budget, the FiiO E10 is a pretty excellent little DAC/amp combo for music. Also the Audinst MX1 - should be a bit better.

Since your laptop has optical, you could also maybe do Macbook (optical) > FiiO D3 > standalone amp (E9, Lovely Cube, M-Stage, etc). The D3 would also work as a DAC for the PS3, but no surround-sound :(

> And don't worry about burn-in.

Thanks chicolom, I was hoping you'd respond. I think I'll get the E10 for now.

I'm considering into buying a good amplifier for the q701 and found the NuForce Icon HDP (amp,dac), which it's over my budget. but I can afford it in next few weeks if it's worth the money. Should I get it ? any other suggestion are very welcome :) I'm going to use it with my macbook pro.

Just recently (couple months ago) got my first set of cans, XB-500's. Was pleased with them with some EQ adjustments on certain types of music but wanted more clarity. After a lot of reading I decided to order the Q701's, yes I like the green ones do those are the ones I got. I didnt think they would be as hard to drive but they were, using the audio out with my iMac. I dont have the extra funds to purchase the Schiit Lyr like I want right now but did order the Bravo 12AU7 amp from eBay. Actually very impressed with the combo as is, plenty loud enough for me and the clarity is amazing. By no means am I an audiophile but very pleased with the sound I'm getting.

Ha this is the exact set I am getting. Well not green. I ordered a set of the k240 mkIIs and a fiio e10 but was really not happy with the highes or soundstage. Definetly not fatiguing but also not magical. Returned them to amazon and am waiting on my q701's I am then planning on ordering the bravo amp based on several head fi reviews. Hope this setup does it for me or things are going to get expensive.

dpcassil - What didn't you like about the fiio e10? I'm getting one in today as a gift from my friend. I also ordered a indeed g3 hybrid amp which is supposed to be a bit better quality than the bravo ones. Can't wait to get that in either.

Just got mine in today and enjoying them so far. Do ya'll usually burn in your cans or just start listening to music right away?

Also, does anyone have any hybrid amp recommendations? I have an Fiio E10 coming in tomorrow that a friend got me as a gift and an Indeed G3 that probably won't be here till next month and I wanted to see what other options there were. I wanted to keep it under $300.

I thought they sounded really fine right out of the box, burn-in did tame the treble a bit, but nothing radical............

dpcassil - What didn't you like about the fiio e10? I'm getting one in today as a gift from my friend. I also ordered a indeed g3 hybrid amp which is supposed to be a bit better quality than the bravo ones. Can't wait to get that in either.

Sorry no the E10 was pretty good. It was the k240mkII that left something to be desired (at least I think) but I am on a budget so $100 phones and $85 e10 go back so I can get $250 phones and $50 amp. The e10 felt solid but nothing amazing. that little bravo amp on the other hand looks so cool :) and from what I have read on here it can crank out some good sound as well. My music of choice is classic and theatirical scores so I hope the bravo does what I want. as for the q701's I have little doubt they are what I want.

Let me know what you think aobut that indeed amp. It will probably be next year before I can get a nice amp.....

:( they are both on their way back to Amazon so I am stuck listening to my old Skull Candy noise canceling head phones with no amp......... The K240s sounded a heck of a lot better than these. I hope the q701s are an equal step above the k240s

O and BTW Anyone have a nice pair of q701s for sale? they are only $250 on amazon right now and I will likely get them there unless someone wants to unload some for a good price.